Repatriation Ceremony: Possible Remains Of Fallen U.S. Service Members From WWII

The United States on Thursday repatriated the recovered possible human remains of U.S. service members missing from World War II in the Salingyi area of Sagaing Region during a recent recovery mission.

These remains will be transported back to the Laboratory of U.S. Department of Defense's agency the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Hawaii for further analysis and potential identification.

The repatriation ceremony, conducted at the Mandalay International Airport, was the second such ceremony held in Myanmar. After finding possible remains last year in the same region, DPAA returned in 2020 to continue its search.

The remains are believed to be associated with a B-25G aircraft with seven personnel onboard during the time of loss in February 1944.  A 1946 investigation located the wreckage; the grave site remained unaccounted for. 

DPAA’s forensics labs have not yet confirmed the identity of any service members associated with osseous material repatriated from Myanmar in 2019. DPAA conducted three missions in Myanmar between 2003 and 2004, and another nine missions between 2013 and 2020.

There are currently 505 U.S. service members still unaccounted for in Myanmar from World War II.  As a result of past efforts, DPAA has identified 23 missing service members and will continue efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting.